Developer has plan for new seven-story building downtown

By Rudolph Bell • Staff writer • Published: November 30. 2010 2:00AM

Greenville developer Phil Hughes is planning a seven-story building next to Riverplace in a sign downtown development may be on its way back after a recession-related lull.

Hughes said the building he's considering at the corner of Rhett Street and West Camperdown Way would have about 100,000 square feet and a mix of residential and non-residential uses, including apartments and artist studios.

He emphasized, however, that the deal isn't done, and he would have preferred to have kept the matter private, except he's at the point where he needs approval from the city's Design Review Board in a public process.

“We worry about the things that can and often do go wrong, but we're optimistic that things will go right,” he said.

The plan for a brick, stucco and aluminum building with a spire on top isn't the only sign of development activity along Main Street.

At the north end, the new owners of the Hyatt Regency Greenville plan a multi-million-dollar renovation of the hotel, while at the south end, builders are finishing Custom House, a condominium and retail complex near Fluor Field.

In between, KDS Commercial Properties has resumed plans for a drug store at the corner of Main Street and McBee Avenue, albeit in a smaller building than proposed last year, and Carolina Ale House is getting ready to open in the two-story building that formerly housed Kimbrell's furniture store.

Other projects

Developers are considering other projects behind the scenes, said Jean Pool, planning and development manager for the city of Greenville.

“We've had a lot of people coming in with what-if projects, so there's a lot more interest out there,” Pool said. “For a while, we weren't even having people come in.”

Hughes' projects include Riverplace and Poinsett Plaza, which he developed downtown along with his brother Bob Hughes, and other downtown office buildings. Phil Hughes also developed the buildings along Interstate 385 in Mauldin that house call centers operated by Charter Communications and Samsung Networks America.

He said he hopes by the end of the year to demolish two warehouses on the site next to Riverplace where he is eyeing his latest development.

Environmental issues

“But we still have some environmental issues to resolve,” Hughes said Monday.

Separately, KDS Commercial Properties told the Design Review Board that it expects a CVS pharmacy to occupy most of a 16,802-square-foot building it plans at the corner of Main and McBee.

The building would be less than half the size of the 36,000-square-foot building KDS proposed last year.

A CVS spokesman declined to comment, saying the chain doesn't discuss new store locations unless there is a signed lease or purchase agreement.